Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – It wasn’t the primary election result he had hoped for, but retired Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy David Timm says he is pleased with the campaign he ran, even if current Sheriff Paula Crouch turned out to be the Republican Party’s nominee after Tuesday’s primary election.

“If I lost this because I took the high road, and didn’t go negative, then so be it.  That’s what was meant to be,” said Timm.

Crouch’s campaign brought up Timm’s record, including a termination that was later rescinded.  Others brought up Timm’s criminal record, stemming from well before his time as a deputy, and when he was still a teenager.  Timm, meanwhile, produced a video where Crouch praised Timm upon his retirement.

Crouch defeated Timm by about 1,400 votes.

“I don’t think anywhere do you say that Dave is the most horrible person in the world.  That’s not the case at all,” said Crouch.  “I feel I have better qualifications and more experience, and I have more to offer to the Sheriff’s Office.”

Timm. who retired from the department after 25 years, says he feels he let a lot of people down, including some Sheriff’s Department employees, and apologized for that.

The Democratic candidate who dropped out, Marc Bell, still got nearly 12,000 votes Tuesday.  Democrats claim they will slate someone to replace Bell in the November election.